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The purpose of this paper is to understand the applications of metaverse-related technologies in US urban libraries, explore excellent cases of US urban libraries' practices in using metaverse-related technologies to serve patrons and try to find the factor that may affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in libraries at this stage.

To gather information about how and whether libraries use metaverse-related technologies such as three-dimensional (3D) technology, radio frequency identification (RFID), virtual reality augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in their services. Firstly, the authors visit 150 US urban library websites that are members of the Urban Libraries Council. Secondly, the authors calculate the proportion of services provided by urban libraries that use metaverse-related technologies and introduce outstanding cases. Lastly, the authors discuss the factors that influence the application of metaverse-related technologies in urban libraries in the United States based on data published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Metaverse-related technologies have been widely used in US urban libraries, but there are differences in the popularity of the applications of different technologies. In all, 84% of libraries use 3D technology, mainly in 3D printing services and 3D model building services; 76% of libraries use virtual and augmented reality technologies in their services, mainly concentrated in head-mounted VR device experiences, AR device experiences, virtual tours and virtual exhibitions; 62% of libraries use Internet of things (IoT) technology, mainly in self-checkout machines and book location services. However, AI technologies are less used in libraries, with 28% of libraries mentioning the applications of AI in their services, mainly focusing on intelligent search, virtual assistants and robot librarians. In addition, this study finds that library operating expenditures and population served do not affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in libraries.

This paper provides updated statistical data on the use of metaverse-related technologies in US urban libraries and aims to help library managers understand the overall applications and best practices. With this as an inspiration, they could formulate corresponding development plans to better serve their communities with metaverse-related technologies.

Robotics is a topic that rarely appears in Library and Information Science literature as it is mainly explored in the field of computer science. It is also a very complex topic that covers various forms of technical solutions that have varying degrees of complexity; these are conventionally referred to as robots. The aim of this article is to present an overview of the applied solutions from the field of robotics in libraries and a discussion of the future prospects for their use in various areas of library activity.

The article is based on a literature review. Systematic comparative searches were made in the Scopus and Web of Science databases and the popular Google Scholar search engine. Publications in English related to the use of robots in libraries were sought in the 2010–2021 period. The results were subjected to qualitative analysis in order to define the main directions of reflection.

The conducted analyses showed that the topic of the use of robots in libraries is relatively rarely mentioned in LIS literature as the main topic of considerations. In practice, however, many interesting examples of the use of robots in libraries can be found, mainly in the area of educational and popularizing activities.

The paper is based on a systematic literature review. However, it is based on selected information sources and covers a specific chronological range, therefore it does not reflect all publications in the field of using robots in libraries. The second limitation concerns the examples of library activities mentioned in the text. For obvious reasons, it is not possible to describe all interesting initiatives, so a selection was made to illustrate the main trends.

Robots have a wide practical application in library activities, as evidenced by the examples described in this paper. Systematized reflection on this topic may promote the popularization of the practical implementation of robots in libraries.

Robotics is a topic that, due to a lack of reliable knowledge, is often of great concern and social controversy. Disseminating knowledge about the usability of robots may foster a peaceful social debate on this topic.

Robotics-related topics are still rarely discussed in the LIS subject literature. In particular, there are no entry-level review articles that would familiarize a reader with the most important findings on the practical aspects of implementing robots in libraries and provide a starting point for reading more detailed publications on specific technologies or implementations.

This research aims to analyse the current state of research on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in libraries by examining document type, publication year, keywords, country and research methods. The overarching aim is to enrich the existing knowledge of AI-powered libraries by identifying the prevailing research gaps, providing direction for future research and deepening the understanding needed for effective policy development.

This study used advanced tools such as bibliometric and network analysis, taking the existing literature from the SCOPUS database extending to the year 2022. This study analysed the application of AI in libraries by identifying and selecting relevant keywords, extracting the data from the database, processing the data using advanced bibliometric visualisation tools and presenting and discussing the results. For this comprehensive research, the search strategy was approved by a panel of computer scientists and librarians.

The majority of research concerning the application of AI in libraries has been conducted in the last three years, likely driven by the fourth industrial revolution. Results show that highly cited articles were published by Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. However, the application of AI in libraries is a developing field, and the study highlights the need for more research in areas such as Digital Humanities, Machine Learning, Robotics, Data Mining and Big Data in Academic Libraries.

This study has excluded papers written in languages other than English that address domains beyond libraries, such as medicine, health, education, science and technology.

This article offers insight for managers and policymakers looking to implement AI in libraries. By identifying clusters and themes, the article would empower managers to plan ahead, mitigate potential drawbacks and seize opportunities for sustainable growth.

Previous studies on the application of AI in libraries have taken a broad approach, but this study narrows its focus to research published explicitly in Library and Information Science (LIS) journals. This makes it unique compared to previous research in the field.

This study investigates the level of artificial intelligence (AI) awareness among library leaders, practitioners and scientists of Indonesian academic libraries to elucidate the benefits of AI implementation and its necessary infrastructure and challenges.

The study adopted a purposive sampling technique to select the 38 participants and thematic analysis to analyze the data, identifying eight themes: understanding of AI, AI adoption, benefits of AI, competencies needed to support AI, facilities to support AI, factors supporting AI adoption, AI-inhibiting factors and expectations of AI.

Different viewpoints provided full awareness among library stakeholders and sufficient information to begin AI initiatives in Indonesian libraries as leaders, practitioners and scientists had a favorable, open and encouraging outlook on AI.

The study does not investigate variations in perspectives between the participants, but it examines their understanding of AI and elaborates the results into the concept of an intelligent library. Moreover, this study only uses samples from academic libraries.

Libraries can take these results into consideration before implementing AI, especially in technology and facilities, librarian competency with regard to AI and leadership roles in AI projects.

Library boards and library associations can use this research as a source to create guidelines about AI implementation in academic libraries.

The study addresses the gap in the research on university libraries' readiness and awareness to implement AI, especially in developing countries.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how libraries use Twitter as a social media platform and examine the tweets they post, including multimedia content such as images and video clips. The study also aims to analyse the relationship between post types and user engagement and evaluate the effects of post features, such as multimedia content, on user engagement.

The methodology of the study involved three phases. In Phase 1, a review of related literature was conducted to develop a holistic approach for the study. In Phase 2, official Twitter handles of selected libraries were identified and verified for authenticity using various methods, including cross-checking with library websites. During Phase 3, data was collected from the Twitter handles. The data was then tabulated and interpreted to achieve the set objectives of the study.

The paper examined the tweets posted by select libraries on Twitter and their impact on user engagement. The study found that most tweets were related to library resources/collection and announcements, followed by events hosted by libraries. Emotionally inspiring posts and daily facts were also commonly posted. The findings also showed that including images in tweets resulted in higher levels of user engagement than video clips did. The study suggests that incorporating images fosters engagement and boosts retweets, while watching a video takes more effort and time.

The practical implications of the study can provide insights into the tweets that generate user engagement, which can help libraries tailor their social media strategies to attract and retain more followers. The paper can help libraries measure the success of their social media activities by evaluating user engagement metrics.

The originality/ value of the study lies in its examination of how libraries use Twitter as a social media platform, including the tweets they post and the impact of multimedia content on user engagement. While previous studies have examined the use of social media by libraries, this study focuses specifically on Twitter and provides a detailed analysis of the tweets that generate user engagement.

Adopting and implementing robotic technology applications in the library is a significant technological up-gradation today. The purpose of this study was to evaluate selected literature focused mainly on robotics technology applications in the field of libraries and to assess the online social attention to research publications.

The study employed Scientometric and altmetric tools to evaluate the research publications. The bibliographic data of research publications were downloaded from Scopus database and scrutinized one by one and 71 articles were selected which mainly focused on robotic technology in libraries. Altmetric data were collected from the Dimensions.ai database. The analysis was performed using MS Excel, Tableau, Biblioshiny, VOSviewer and SPSS software.

Research on robotic technology in the field of libraries has been experiencing a gradual increase, marked by an annual growth rate of 12.93%. The United States has prominently led the way as the most active participant and collaborator in this advancement. Among the various journals, Library Hi Tech has notably stood out as a significant contributor to this field. However, the research articles have garnered limited social attention and impact. Furthermore, the patterns of authorship collaboration have demonstrated relatively modest levels within the field, and a weak correlation has been observed between the social attention received and the Scopus citation metrics of the publications.

The research needs to be disseminated more through various social media platforms to increase its visibility. Sharing research information through social media can bridge the gap between academia and society. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable reference for researchers and policymakers.

This study presents a Scientometric analysis of the selected published literature on robotics technology applications in the field of libraries, highlighting the progress and development of worldwide research in this area.

Responding to the continuing separation of participants and researchers in LIS participatory research, a new methodology is proposed: action partnership research design (APRD). It is asserted that APRD can mitigate or remove the hierarchical structures often inherent in the research process, thus allowing for equal contribution from all.

Building on the bonded design (BD) methodology and informed by a scoping literature review conducted by the same authors, APRD is a human-centered research approach with the goal of empowering and valuing community partnerships. APRD originates from research investigating the use of participatory design methods to foster collaboration between two potentially disparate groups, firstly with adult researchers/designers and elementary school children, and secondly with university faculty and IT professionals.

To achieve this goal, in addition to BD techniques, APRD draws inspiration from elements of indigenous and decolonization research methodologies, particularly those with an emphasis on destabilizing power hierarchies and involving research participants as full partners.

APRD, which emerged from findings from previous participatory design studies, especially those of BD, is based on the premise of partnership, recognizing that each member of a design team, whether researcher or participant/user, has unique expertise to contribute. By considering participants/users as full research partners, APRD aims to flatten the hierarchies exhibited in some LIS participatory research methodologies, where participants are treated more like research subjects than partners.

This study aims to provide insight into the usage of metaverse technologies in libraries, examining their impact on library service user engagement and assisting in unique promotion and marketing techniques for the metaverse setting.

This study used a literature review approach to synthesize current scholarly material on metaverse technologies and their practical applicability in the library context. It gathered academic literature from Emerald, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases to construct a strong foundation for the study from journal articles, which were retrieved using the researcher’s “search string.”

Metaverse technologies are reshaping the idea of smart libraries, offering innovative approaches to interact with information resources and delivering users progressively immersive and dynamic learning experiences. This in-depth investigation adds to a better understanding of the emerging link between metaverse technology and library professionals. It bridges the gap between libraries and users, transcending geographical boundaries and enabling libraries to serve a global audience. It anticipates metaverse-infused academic libraries welcoming new methods of engaging with their users with interactive capabilities to create a unique environment to explore library resources in an interactive marketing approach.

The metaverse is not only the future but also the future of libraries. This research fills the gap by advancing the literature on cutting-edge library technologies and empowers users to become reflective and well-informed information producers. It also helps library stakeholders engage with their audience in new and impactful ways and explore innovative marketing strategies tailored to the metaverse environment.

Technological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services and routines by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users who are now more technologically inclined and prefer to access information remotely and in a timely manner. Smart technologies are the recent trends in academic libraries. This research aims to investigate the level of smart information service implementation at academic libraries in Jordan. It also aimed to investigate the correlation between the level of smart information services offered by the libraries and the level of digital competencies among the library staff.

This research is designed using survey design to collect comprehensive information from the study participants. A questionnaire was disseminated to 340 respondents, and 246 questionnaires were returned and were suitable for analysis with a response rate of 72.4%.

The results indicated a moderate level of smart information service offered by academic libraries, as well as a moderate level of digital skills associated with the advocacy of smart information services. The results also indicated a strong and positive relationship between the level of smart information services at the investigated libraries and the level of digital competencies among the librarians.

The findings will help other academic libraries understand how to respond to the emergent change in users’ information-seeking behavior by understanding their available human resources competencies and the requirement to undergo this emergent change.

This paper provides insights and practical solutions for academic libraries in response to global information trends based on users’ behaviors. This research was conducted in Jordan as one of the developing countries and hence it provides insights of the situation there. It will help academic libraries in Jordan and the region to handle and cope with the challenges associated with technology acceptance based on its staff level of digital competencies. The contribution of this research that it was done in a developing country where progress in the filed can be considered slow because of many factors, mainly economics, where institutions focus on essential library objectives, which are information resources development and databases subscriptions.

This article intends to explore how organizational learning affects innovation in public library services, and the role of public librarians in innovation in library services.

This study collected 375 valid questionnaires from 19 public libraries in Shanghai and Zhejiang based on organizational learning, organizational innovation and employee psychological empowerment theory. Additionally, SPSS and HLM are used to analyze the relationship among the three processes of organizational learning: knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge application, and public library service innovation.

Results show that organizational learning has a significant positive effect on the service innovation of public libraries. Knowledge acquisition and knowledge application in the process of organizational learning have a significant positive influence on the service innovation of public libraries, but the impact of knowledge sharing on service innovation is weak. Employee psychological empowerment has a negative regulating influence on knowledge sharing–public library service innovation, but no significant influence on knowledge application–public library service innovation and knowledge acquisition–public library service innovation.

This research explores the effectiveness of the theory of organizational learning in the field of public libraries and also confirms the role of librarians in the work of public libraries. Together, they promote the innovation of public libraries.